In my MBA days, I have learnt about Maslow’s hierarchy theory of human needs that described ‘what matters most to an individual’. It was something like this –

Per Maslow’s theory, as depicted in the above picture, an individual has some basic needs like survival needs (air, water, food, shelter etc.) and other needs like sex. These are basic needs that any individual has. Once, these needs are fulfilled, the individual needs Safety and Security needs. Per Maslow’s theory, safety and security needs come after one satisfies all basic needs shown in the lower level of the pyramid.

However, one doesn’t become satisfied by achieving safety needs, but after attaining that level of need, one needs love and relationship bonding to be satisfied in life. One needs to feel belonged to a family or a society. But after attaining that level of needs, humans look for self-esteem needs. At this level, one wants to earn name and fame from society.

However, the self-esteem also can’t satisfy a human properly. After achieving this level in life, one seeks self-actualization or self-realization goals. That is why we see that many CXOs don’t become happy after earning name and fame in life, but they try to go beyond. Some start focusing on creative things, while some focus on social services.

Depending on the position of the person in this pyramid, his motivational needs are different. When one achieves a level, one will not be motivated by the same factors again and will try to move up the ladder. So, we understand that when a person belongs to one level in Maslow table of needs, one will be dissatisfied if one doesn’t get everything at that level, but will also NOT be satisfied if he achieves the same and will try to get higher goals.

So, as per this hierarchy theory, different people have different needs based on their position in the pyramid. To understand this in simpler terms let’s consider following types of people

• Beggars – No Income Group
• Housemaids – a Low-income group
• Common man – Medium income group, and
• Super Achievers – Who has a lot of money

Then, as per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs table, what should matter to each of them is depicted in this diagram –

A superachiever should strive for self-actualization goals, high achievers should try for name and fame, common men (middle-class people) should strive for family life, low-income group people (like housemaids) should want safety and security (like home, stable income etc.) and beggars should try for basic necessities of life, like food etc.

However, thanks to modern feminists this looks like –

Today, housemaids are most sought after in the society with everyone increasingly dependent on their tantrums. Not that they are looking to fulfill their creative dreams, but they get most importance in every family than the one of super achievers.

Women, of all sorts, are enjoying all other needs provided to them by their husbands and the government, whereas, men from all income groups are looking for basic needs, like shelter, food, love etc.

Ideally, what matters most to any individual should depend on his position on Maslow‘s chart. However, since modern Indian feminists have changed this situation, what matters most today is to restrict feminism and let the right people get the right value. This is something that matters the most to me as well. We see how Maslow’s hierarchy is proved wrong in India.

Disclaimer – The illustrations and cliparts are collected from different internet sites. The composition and content presentation is made by the author.